Liquid level controlling means



April 27, 1943. p s RUSSEL 2,317,556

LIQUID LEVEL CONTROLLING MEANS Filed April 3, 1940 Fla-l BIMETAL INVENTUR. A. M,

6 i I M ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 27, 1943 LIQUID CONTROILIN G MEANS Philip S. Russel, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Detroit Lubricator'Company, Detroit, Mich a corporation of Michigan Application April 3, 1940, Serial No. 327,689

13 Claims. (c1. 137-68) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in liquid level controlling means, and more particularly to a device for controlling the flow of liquid fuel to a burner.

An object of the invention is to provide a control means which will remain effective to regulate flow upon leakage of liquid into or other loss a predetermined maximum.

. gated supporting member 2|.

The invention consists in the novel construc- I tion and cooperation of parts, to be more fully described hereinafter and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, to be taken as a part of this specification, there is fully and clearly shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which drawing- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a control device having the cover member removed to show the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal vertical section and partly in elevation of the control device, but with certain parts eliminated for clarity.

Referring to the drawing, I designates generally a hollow casing having a liquid receiving.

chamber or reservoir 2 which is supplied with liquid through an inlet passageway 3 in which there is a strainer 4. The inlet passageway 3 of the casing I into a guide sleeve 5 having a valve seat 1. The sleeve 5 has ports 8 above or on the outlet side of the seat I and through which the liquid discharges into the reservoir 2. Guided in the sleeve 5 there is a valve member Shaving a. cylindrical stem and a conical valve head In engageable with the seat 1. Within the reservoir zthere is a supporting post II on the upper end of which there is secured, by the head of a clamping screw l2, 9. cross pin l3. Joumaled on the pin I3 is a lever am: It having apertured side flanges which receive the opposite ends of the pin l3. The apertures, designated IS, in the side flanges are preferably vertically extending slots so that the mm H can have upward movement at the pin l3.

The web of the channel-shaped opens upwardly, as at 5, through the bottom wall arm M has an aperture l6 therethrough through which the free end ll of the valve stem extends. The valve 9 has a cross pin I8 which seats against the underside of the arm [4 and is held thereagainst by an apertured leaf spring l9 through which the valve member extends.

The arm M has an extension and an elon- The member 2| comprises a stepped portion 22 extending downward from and longitudinally of the arm I4, and a bimetal strip 23 having an upward, ofiset end portion 24 which is secured by solder to the stepped portion 22. The strip 23 extends longitudinally of and is spaced below the extension 20 and is adjustable relative thereto by a screw 25. The screw 25 has its head supported by a cross member 26 on the extension 20 and is screwthreaded through the step 22 and offset portion 24 so that upon rotation of the screw, the strip 23 will be moved either toward or from the extension 20. The stepped portion 22 has suflicient resilience within the limits of adjustment to hold the head of screw 25 in engagement with the cross member 25.

Secured to the free end of the s rip 23, as by a solder connection, there-is a sheet metal, hollow float member 21 comprising upper and lower float elements 28, 29, respectively. The lower element 29 is of pan-like form, having radially extending reenforcing ribs 30 in its bottom wall, the ribs tapering into the plane of the bottom wall at its periphery. The upper element 28 is of inverted, cup-like form and has its down-turned rim joining and sealed to the upturned rim of the element 29. Positioned between the elements 28, 29 and sealing the interiors of the same from each other, there is a partition 3| of sheet metal which is solder-sealed to the rims oi the elements 28, 29 and which provides a bottom wall for the element 28. The float member 21 is partially counterbalanced by a weight member 32 secured to the other or free end of arm I such that the float member 21 in operating the valve 8 will be immersed substantially to but not above the level of the partition or bottom wall 3|.

Extending longitudinally of the reservoir 2 and directly above the valve 9 for engagement with the valve stemend ll, there is a valve closing safety lever 33 which has one end pivotally supported, as at 34, on a bracket 35 fixed to the easing I. Positioned between an end portion 35 of the lever 33 and an abutment member 31 projecting from the casing wall opposite the bracket 35, there is a helical coil compression spring 38 normaliy tending to expand and move the lever 33 downward into engagement with the valve stem end IT. The lever 33 has a longitudinal extension 39 which extends beside the spring 38 and through an aperture in the end wall of casing l. The external end portion 49 of lever 33 serves as a hand grip for resetting the safety lever 33. The plate member from which the abutment member 3'! projects, also provides a pair of parallel, vertical cars 42 positioned below and to one side of the lever extension 39. Positioned between the ears 42 and pivotally carried on a pin 43 extending therethrough, there is a latch or trip member 44 having an operating arm 45 which extends into overlying spaced relation to the free end of lever arm extension 20. On the safety lever extension 39 there is a laterally extending locking member 46 which seats on the catch or shoulder 41 of the latch member 44. The latch member 44 has a portion 48 extending through an aperture in the casing end wall so that the latch member may be manually rotated to release the safety lever 33.

In operation, with the liquid level at the line L-L, the parts will be in the positions shown.

If it is desired to vary the liquid level in order to change the liquid head on the reservoir outlets, this may be done by turning the screw 25, an aperture 49 through the lever 33 being provided for access to the screw head. As the liquid flows from the chamber 2 through the metering valve controlled outlets 59 in the chamber bottom wall, the float member 21. will throttle the valve 9 to maintain the liquid level in the chamber substantially constant. As the rate of liquid flow through a metered orifice decreases with increase of viscosity, it is desirable to increase the liquid head on the orifice to compensate for the viscosity increase. This is accomplished by the bimetal strip 23 which bends upward on temperature decrease, thereby requiring an increased liquid level in order for the float to move the valve to its seat. By positioning the bimetal strip beneath the liquid level and in the liquid, the bimetal responds to the liquid temperature, and therefore to its viscosity, whereas a positioning of the bimetal in the air over the liquid will not result in automatic positioning of the float in accordance with liquid temperature, due to the fact that the oil flowing through the chamber may not take on the temperature of the air therein.

If during operation of the valve it should fail to seat to hold the liquid level 'to the line L-L, such that the liquid level continued to increase, then upon a predetermined increase of liquid level the float member 21, rising with the liquid,

ment 28 thus provides a valve throttling safety means and also a safety means to assure movement of the valve member to closed position by operation of the safety lever 33 in the event the valve member 9 should fail to seat when the lower element 29 is no longer buoyant or has leaked sufficiently so that the lower element 29 would' be inefiective below the maximum safe liquid level to actuate the catch releasing arm 45. When the safety lever 33 has been tripped either by manual depression of latch lever end 49 or by will move the extension 29 into engagement with stem end I! and by the impact act to tightly seat 7 the valve member 9. If the lower float element 29 should leak or lose its buoyancy, then the upper element 29 will become effective to actuate the valve member 9, and although the element 28 will maintain a level slightly above the level L-L, the increase .will not be sufllcient because of the counter-weighting and large float area to result in a hazard at the burner. The upper eleautomatic lifting of arm 45 by float actuation of extension 29, the safety lever can be manually reset from external of the casing I. Resetting is accomplished by lifting the lever end 49 until locking member 46 is above shoulder 41, when the weight of the latch lever 44 will move shoulder 4'! into locking position, as shown, beneath the locking member 46.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a liquid level controlling device, a casing having a liquid receiving reservoir with an inlet,

' a valve controlling said inlet, a float member,

a lever arm operatively connected to said valve, an elongated supporting member on said arm and extending beneath and secured to the bottom of said float member, said arm having lost motion relative to said valve upon limitation of movement of said valve to close said inlet, an extension on said arm, an adjustment screw engaging said extension and said supporting member and operable to adjust said float member relative to said extension, safety means operable to engage said valve to close said inlet, and means operable by said extension upon movement of said float member by increased liquid level in said reservoir to render said safety means effective.

2. In a liquid level controlling device, a casing having a liquid receiving reservoir with an inlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a float member, a lever arm operatively connected to said valve, an elongated bimetallic supporting member on said arm and extending beneath and secured to the bottom of said float member, said arm having lost motion relative to said valve upon limitation of movement of said valve to close said inlet, an extension on said arm, an adjustment screw engaging said extension and said supporting member and operable to adjust said float member relative to said extension, safety means operable to engage said valve to close said inlet, and means operable by said extension upon movement of said float member by increased liquid level in said reservoir to render said safety means effective.

3. In a liquid level controlling device, a casing having a liquid receiving reservoir with an inlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a float member, a lever arm operatively connecting said float member and said valve and having a flexible portion, said arm having lost-motion relative to said valve upon limitation of movement of said valve to close said inlet, an extension on said arm spaced above said float member, means for adjustably positioning said flexible portion relative to said extension to vary the liquid level in said reservoir, safety means operable to engage said valve to close said inlet, and means operable by said extension upon movement of said float member by increased l'quid level in said reservoir to render said safety means effective, said extension being so constructed and arranged relative to'said valve as to maintain its given position relative to said last-named means irrespecarm, adjustable to position it at different distances tive of the adjustment of said positioning means thereby to maintain substantially constant the rise in level above the desired level necessary to render said safety means efiective.

4. In a liquid level controlling device, a casing having a liquid receiving reservoir with an inlet,

a valve controlling said inlet, a float member having two compartments, a lever arm operatively connecting said float member and said valve, means including a lost-motion portion for 'fulcruming said lever arm on said casing, said float member being operable to move said lever arm about said fulcrum means to actuate said valve thereby to maintain a predetermined desired liquid level in said reservoir, said float member being so related to the buoyancy of the liquid within said reservoir and to the .force exerted thereon by said lever arm that'either of said compartments is operable to actuate said valve, safety means operable upon being actuated to engage said valve to close said inlet, and means operable upon lost-motion movement of said lever arm by said float member upon an undesired increase in liquid level above said predetermined level to actuate said safety means.

5. In a liquidlevel controlling device, a casing having a liquid receiving reservoir with an inlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a float member having two compartments, a lever arm operatively connecting said float member and said valve, means including a lost-motion portion for fulcruming said lever arm on said casing, one of said float member compartments being operable to move said lever arm about said fulcrum means .tonctuate said valve thereby to maintain apredetermined desired liquid level in said reservoir and to maintain the other of said compartments isolated from the liquid, the second of said compartments becoming effective upon leakage of the liquid into said flrst compartment to actuate said valve, safety means operable upon being actuated to engage said valve to close said inlet, and means operable upon lost-motion movement of said lever arm to actuate said safety means.

6. In a liquid level controlling device, a casing having a liquid receiving reservoir with an inlet, a valve'controlling said inlet, a first float mem ber, a lever arm secured to said float member and pivotally secured 'to said valve, means including lost-motion means for fulcruming said arm on said casing intermediate said float member and said valve and providing for pivotal movement of said arm on said valve, a second float member superimposed upon said first float member, balancing means connected to said lever arm and proportioned relative to the buoyancy of said first member in the liquid within said reservoir so that said first float member acts to isolate said second float member from the liquid, said first float member normally acting to move said lever arm about said fulcrum means to actuate said valve thereby to maintain a predetermined substantially constant liquid level in said reservoir, safety means operable upon actuation to move said valve to closed position, eitherof said float members being operable upon an abnormal increase in liquid level within said reservoir to pivot said lever arm about said valve member to actuate said safety means.

7. In a liquid level controlling device, a casing having a liquid receiving reservoir, a valve controlling admission of liquid to said reservoir, a float member responsive to liquid level in said reservoir, a lever arm cooperable with said valve, a supporting member extending from said lever from the arm, and carrying said float member so that said float member will control the operation of said valve, means to effect the adjustment of the position of said supporting member relative to said arm to determine the liquid level to be maintained in said reservoir by s id float member under normal unimpeded con itions of operation,

means for overtravel of said float member in response to liquid level increase upon limitation of movement of said valve toward closed position, safety means operable to move said valve to closed position, and means actuated upon overtravel of said float member to render said safety means operable.

8. In a liquid level controlling device, a casing having a liquid receiving reservoir, a valve controlling admission of liquid to said reservoir, a float member responsive tb liquid level in said reservoir, a lever arm cooperable with said valve, a supporting: member extending from said lever arm and carrying said float member so that said float member will control the operation of said valve, means for overtravel of said leverarm by operation of said float member in response to liquid level increase upon limitation of movement of said valve toward closed position, safety means operable to move said valve to closed position, and means actuated by overtravel of said lever arm to render said safety means operable.

9. In a liquid level controlling device, a casing having a liquid receiving reservoir, a valve controlling admission of liquid to said reservoir, a float member responsive to liquid level in said reservoir, a lever arm cooperable with said valve,

a supporting member extending from said lever arm, adjustable to position itat diiferent dis tances from the arm, and carrying said float member so that said float member will control the operation of said valve, means to effect the adjustment of the position of said supporting member relative to said arm to determine the liquid level to be maintained in said reservoir by said float member under normal unimpeded conditions of operation, means for overtravel of said float member in response to liquid level increase upon limitation of movement of said valve toward closed position, safety means operable to move said valve to closed position, means actuated upon overtravel of said float member to render said safety means operable, and a safety float .member operable to render said-safety means operable upon failure of said float member to respond to said liquid level increase.

10. In a liquid level controlling device, a casing having a liquid receiving reservoir, a valve controlling admission of liquid to said reservoir, a float member responsive to liquid level in said reservoir, a lever arm cooperable with said valve, a supporting member extending from said lever arm, adjustable to position it at diflerent distances from the arm, and carrying said float member so-that said float member will control the operation of said valve, means to effect the adjustment of the position of said supporting member relative to said arm to determine the liquid level to be maintained in said reservoir by said float member under normal unimpeded con-. ditions of operation, means for overtravel of said float member in response to liquid level increase upon limitation of movement of said valve toward closed position, safety means operable to move said valve to closed position, means actuated upon overtravel of said'float member to render said safety means operable, and a safety float reservoir, a lever arm cooperable with said valve,

a supporting member extending from said lever arm and carrying said float member so that said float member will control the operation of said valve, means for overtravel of said lever arm by operation of said float member in response to liquid level increase upon limitation of movement of said valve toward closed position, safety means operable to move said valve to closed position. means actuated by overtravel of said lever arm to render said safety means operable, and a safety float member operable upon a liquid level increase greater than said predetermined increase to move said lever arm to actuate said last-named means upon failure of said float member.

12. In a liquid level controlling device, a casing having a liquid receiving reservoir with an inlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a float member, a lever arm operatively connected to said valve, an elongated supporting member on said arm and extending beneath and secured to said float member, means for overtravel of said arm uponv having a liquid receiving reservoir with an inlet,

a valve controlling said inlet, a that member, a lever arm operatively connected to said valve, an elongated supporting member on said arm and extending beneath and secured to the bottom of said float member, thermostatic means connected to said supporting member and interposed between said arm and said float member and positioned beneath the liquid level to increase the maintained liquid level upon decrease of the liquid temperature, means for overtravel of said arm upon limitation of movement of said valve toward closed position, means to adjust said supporting member relative to said arm to regulate the liquid level to be maintained in said reservoir, safety means operable to engage said valve to close said inlet, and means operable by said arm upon movement of said float member by increased liquid level in said reservoir to render said safety means effective.

PHILIP S. RUSSEL. 

